Findings
Whangarei Intermediate School is providing all learners with high quality education. Students make very good progress and achieve well. The curriculum is very effective particularly in the way te reo/tikanga Māori and digital technologies enhance learning. There is a strong school-wide focus on the wellbeing of young adolescents.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
1 Context
What are the important features of this school that have an impact on student learning?
Whangarei Intermediate School in Northland caters for learners in Years 7 and 8. Students are predominantly learners of Pākehā or Māori descent.
There are five teaching whānau including Waiarohia, Ngahere Kowhai, Kahurangi and Parihaka. The bilingual whānau, Te Whānau o Waimirirangi, has grown since the ERO review in 2013 and now comprises five classrooms.
Students experience a rich curriculum offering many additional educational opportunities and learning activities. The school currently runs seven digital classrooms supported by the Tai Tokerau Education Trust for the Te Puawai cluster which facilitates technology development in a group of schools in the Whangarei area.
The school value of whānaungtanga, based on family, is becoming deeply embedded in school culture. This value also promotes learning through akonga with meaningful collaboration between home and school partnerships evident in children’s learning. The school’s culture is being revitalised through a Ministry of Education initiative, Positive Behaviour for Learning.
School leaders responded positively to the recommendations in the 2013 ERO report. Formative learning is now an established part of teacher practice and there is increasing opportunity for students to contribute to curriculum planning and school organisation. The implementation of the school Māori language plan has taken place. Te reo is viewed as an essential learning area in the curriculum for all students.
The board of trustees has a strong focus on student wellbeing and prioritises resources for those students who experience challenges and need additional help to learn and achieve.
2 Learning
How well does this school use achievement information to make positive changes to learners’ engagement, progress and achievement?
The school uses achievement data very well to address the learning needs of those students who may not achieve or who learn differently. There are high levels of focus on successful outcomes for these priority students at all levels in the school.
The school’s achievement information shows that in 2015 there were significant upward shifts in school-wide National Standards results for reading, writing and mathematics, compared to data from the previous two years. By the end of Year 8 many students, including Māori learners, have made very good progress. There continues to be urgency needed in focusing on accelerating student progress in order to meet the government’s targets of 85 percent of students at or above the National Standards by 2017. In 2016 a schoolwide writing initiative for teachers’ professional development has been introduced to lift writing achievement levels across the school, especially for Māori boys.
Team leaders gather achievement information from class teachers to show how teachers make a difference in accelerating outcomes for targeted learners. The effective shifts in teacher practice that bring about success are shared by both teams and year levels. The senior leadership team collate and analyse class and team information and comment on shifts in achievement levels school-wide.
Teachers reflect and plan in deliberate ways to bring about improvement for all students. School leaders make good use of external facilitators when more staff professional learning is needed to bring about desired changes. Learning for teachers is purposeful and meaningful and aligns well to strategic goals.
Student agency in learning is developing well. Many learners are able to use a variety of resources such as rubrics, sets of success criteria and matrices to evaluate and maximise progress in their own learning independently.
During this review ERO and school leaders discussed some of the next steps to enhance students' learning opportunities. These include:
- working towards a schoolwide definition of accelerated progress that includes specific timeframes and outcomes for expected achievement
- exploring ways to create data that show the rate of accelerated progress that targeted students are making over time
- evaluating the impact and effectiveness of the strategies and approaches that have made the most difference to rates of acceleration for targeted learners
- using teaching as inquiry as a tool to explore the effectiveness of acceleration strategies.
3 Curriculum
How effectively does this school’s curriculum promote and support student learning?
The Whangarei Intermediate School curriculum promotes student learning very successfully. It is closely aligned to The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC), is responsive, inclusive and makes good use of cross – curricular opportunities for learning. Teaching is relationships-based and most students feel well connected to their classroom peers and programmes.
The school’s curriculum plan is called He Pukapuka Matauranga and it is highly effective in the ways it reflects the vision and principles of the NZC. It is a locally derived curriculum developed in consultation with iwi, whānau and the parent community. Te Puiwaitanga is the school’s process for learning as inquiry, again developed for the school, with the community. Both of these documents cater for student voice and action to be part of the curriculum’s design. All students have equitable, effective opportunities to learn in inclusive environments.
The curriculum has a two-year overview that focuses on understanding a series of significant learning concepts such as connection to place. Another curriculum feature is the detailed attention given to the breadth and depth of adolescent hauora throughout the two years students attend the school.
There are five specialist teachers, in addition to core classroom teachers, who offer programmes in performance art, visual art, music, food and nutrition and exploring technology. Furthermore an enrichment programme offers creative activities and groupings outside of the classroom structure. Regular opportunities are offered to students such as musical performance and contemporary dance groups that work towards roadshow productions which are performed in contributing primary schools and at other community events. Students enjoy their learning and are developing many useful competencies and capabilities.
Further curriculum development is occurring in Te Whānau o Waimirirangi. The whānau's bilingual curriculum is named Kia Māori Mai. A further seven classrooms work on the basis of collaborative classroom practice and enhance learning through technology with the use of chrome books provided by the Te Tai Tokerau Trust. In both of these initiatives highly effective learning is occurring beyond the school day, beyond the classroom, and often involves whānau at home.
Culturally responsive pedagogy is acknowledged and prioritised in all classrooms. As a result the curriculum is made relevant for every child. The Ministry of Education’s document Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners, is embedded in teachers’ planning. Mixed ability groupings in all learning areas, including mathematics, promote equitable opportunities for all learners.
How effectively does the school promote educational success for Māori, as Māori?
Māori students make up 49% of the school roll. The school is working very effectively to promote educational success for Māori through affirmation of language, culture and identity.
There has been a major expansion of Te Whānau o Waimirirangi’s bilingual classes to strengthen Māori learners’ identity if they choose to join. The curriculum taught in the whānau unit, sets out the attributes, skills, leadership and knowledge decided from the collective aspirations of whānau and Te Parawhau hapu.
Te Aka Puawai Matua Rōpū is an active group of whānau and teachers working together in the school. They are a consultative body and have worked on strategic planning and curriculum. Te Rōpū Atawhai Mātua is another group of parent tutors for kapa haka which is a strong element in the identity of the school.
The board of trustees and school leaders have signalled a strong commitment to te reo Māori. All classes have a timetabled component of Māori language per week, taught by the classroom teacher. Ten of the school’s staff are involved in professional development for te reo, five are enrolled in Te Marautanga a Aotearoa for 2015/2016 and five in Te reo o te Kaiako.
School leaders are working towards a vision where the philosophy of Waimirirangi will extend across the school, in time, for all learners.
4 Sustainable Performance
How well placed is the school to sustain and improve its performance?
Whangarei Intermediate School is very well placed to sustain and improve. A strong vision is in place that is shared by the board and school leaders. An experienced principal and senior leadership team have been in their roles for a number of years. The principal has high expectations of staff to deliver the strategic goals set out in the school charter.
Effective stewardship supports the learning of all students. The board views its core business as supporting and promoting student progress towards achievement. They also share and prioritise a robust focus on student wellbeing. Comprehensive board documents reflect the board’s work and commitment to the development of the school.
Trustees reflect the diverse community and bring different expertise to their stewardship role. Some of the board bring governance experience from other schools. Training opportunities are welcomed by the board and most have attended School Trustees Association (STA) conferences.
School leaders use evaluation processes very well to support ongoing school improvement. They consult widely and listen to multiple voices in making decisions that affect the future direction of the school. An example of this is the student support worker position, funded by the board.
School leaders are currently interested in forming a Community of Learning and are about to embark upon expressions of interest to the Ministry of Education. They are keen to build relationships and align with other schools such as the Te Puawai cluster which leads digital learning in the Whangarei area, for both teachers and parents.
Further considerations to strengthen the school’s sustainability and performance could include:
- a review of the teachers’ appraisal system to clarify, reduce and refine processes
- the alignment of teaching as inquiry to school achievement targets in the Charter
- continuing to align the school’s performance management system with the requirements of the Education Council, in particular developing clarity around the curation of evidence related to the Practicing Teacher Criteria
- continuing to manage the pace of change in the school and consolidate the current professional initiatives.
Provision for international students
At the time of this review Whangarei Intermediate School has two international students. Students are integrated into school life and benefit from good levels of tuition.
The school is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students (the Code) established under section 238F of the Education Act 1989. The school has attested that it complies with all aspects of the Code. The board could receive more regular information about the progress and achievement of international students and undertake further, regular self-review in relation to the quality of pastoral care and services provided.
ERO’s investigations confirmed that the school’s self-review processes for international students are satisfactory but could be more comprehensive.
Board assurance on legal requirements
Before the review, the board of trustees and principal of the school completed the ERO Board Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklists. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to:
- board administration
- curriculum
- management of health, safety and welfare
- personnel management
- financial management
- asset management.
During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on student achievement:
- emotional safety of students (including prevention of bullying and sexual harassment)
- physical safety of students
- teacher registration
- processes for appointing staff
- stand-downs, suspensions, expulsions and exclusions
- attendance.
Conclusion
Whangarei Intermediate School is providing all learners with high quality education. Students make very good progress and achieve well. The curriculum is very effective particularly in the way te reo/tikanga Māori and digital technologies enhance learning. There is a strong school-wide focus on the wellbeing of young adolescents.
ERO is likely to carry out the next review in four-to-five years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
7 September 2016
About the School
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Location
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Whangarei
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Ministry of Education profile number
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1129
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School type
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Intermediate (Years 7 to 8)
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School roll
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601
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Number of international students
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2
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Gender composition
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Boys 50% Girls 50%
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Ethnic composition
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Māori
Pākehā
Asian
Pacific
other
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49%
41%
3%
3%
4%
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Special Features
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Te Whānau o Waimirirangi (bilingual unit)
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Review team on site
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June 2016
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Date of this report
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7 September 2016
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review
Education Review
Education Review
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June 2013
September 2010
September 2007
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